US embassy cable - 02ABUJA1465

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 001465 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR G/TIP AMB. ELY-RAPHEL; AF - DAS PERRY 
. 
ALSO FOR INL, AF/W AND AF/RA 
. 
NSC FOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
. 
DOL FOR ILAB 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM, KWMN, PHUM, NI 
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: OBASANJO TO HOST INTERNATIONAL TIP SUMMIT 
 
This is an action cable; action request for G/TIP and INL in 
para 7. 
 
 
1. In a May 7 meeting, Mike Mku, the President's Special 
Assistant on Human Trafficking and Child Labor confirmed 
August 1-4 as the dates for the Government of Nigeria's 
"International Summit" on Trafficking in Persons.  Mku gave 
RNLEO a copy of President Obasanjo's April 5 letter inviting 
President Bush to this event.  (Note: A copy has been faxed 
to G/TIP. End Note)   Mku claims the original was delivered 
to the White House through the Nigeria Embassy in Washington. 
 He also stated that the GON will soon follow that initial 
letter with greater details on the conference, including a 
tentative agenda. 
 
 
2. Mku allowed RNLEO to review a draft of the agenda.  Half 
of the conference is a plenary session, much of which is 
taken up by the presentation of country reports and 
presentations by International Organizations and Nigerian 
NGOs.  There are plans for break-out sessions, though topics 
for discussion have yet to be determined. 
 
 
3. Mku stated about 40 countries have been invited.  These 
include, in Africa: Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, 
Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Gabon, Libya, Mali, Morocco, 
Mauritania, Niger, South Africa, Senegal, Sudan and Togo. 
Outside Africa: Belgium, Bulgaria, China, France, 
Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Saudi Arabia, U.S.A., 
Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K. and Luxembourg.  He explained 
that these countries were picked for either having a 
significant trafficking role (destination, transit area or 
source) or for being a significant donor of international 
anti-TIP efforts. 
 
 
4. UN and International organizations to be invited include: 
OAU, ECOWAS, EU, ILO-IPEC, UNESCO, FAO, UNICEF, UNODCCP, IOM, 
and UNDP.  Nigerian NGOs will play a role at the conference, 
but only one international anti-TIP NGO is on the agenda so 
far -- ECPAT. 
 
 
5. When asked about the focus of the conference, Mku 
confessed that there are several themes being considered and 
no single focus has yet been established.  In addition to 
looking at Africa's trafficking problems and the need for 
greater regional cooperation, the conference seeks to gain 
from the experiences of other countries with trafficking 
problems outside of Africa.  Mku welcomed RNLEO's offer to 
discuss possible objectives for the conference that would 
both set it apart from other international TIP conferences 
and make it as productive as possible.  Mku also solicited 
funding for the conference from the USG and other 
international donors. 
 
 
6. Some of the themes currently being discussed by the GON's 
Planning Committee for the Conference include: 
 
 
--"Legal Framework on Human Trafficking, Child Labor and 
Slavery with Reference to Nigeria;" 
--"The Role of the Navy, Immigration, Customs and Police in 
Combating Human Trafficking;" 
--"Rehabilitation of Victims of Human Trafficking;" 
--"Combating Human Trafficking, Child Labor and Slavery 
through International Cooperation;" 
--"The Fight Against Transnational Organized Crime with 
Particular Reference to Human Trafficking and Child Labor;" 
and 
--"Impact of Human Trafficking, Child Labor, and Slavery on 
the Economies of Developing Countries" 
 
 
7. Comment and Action Request:  President Obasanjo 
understands the seriousness of the trafficking in persons 
problem and this conference reflects his sincere desire to 
develop an effective national and regional strategy to curb 
this egregious human rights violation.  Post will continue to 
work with Mku to shape the conference for maximum 
effectiveness.  Post proposes that G/TIP or INL provide 
funding for a portion of the conference (an estimated 
$50-70,000) with the condition that the GON use that funding 
to devote part of the conference to discussions on 
strengthening ECOWAS member states' implementation of the 
ECOWAS Plan of Action Against TIP and expanding regional 
cooperation beyond ECOWAS to other states in Africa. Post 
would appreciate INL's and G/TIP's views on possible funding 
of part of this conference. 
JETER